SLEEPY HOLLOW
- Thread starter GayleR
- Start date
MotherOcean
SBH Insider
Congrats to your son! How proud you must all be!
Will definitely take a look tomorrow night.
Will definitely take a look tomorrow night.
Gayle, I came across this article in today's WSJ about how the Sleepy Hollow TV show has given a boost to Sleepy Hollow tourism.
TV Show Breathes New Life Into Upstate Village
Sleepy Hollow Sees Tourism Uptick Because of New Fox
Drama
JO PIAZZA
SLEEPY HOLLOW, N.Y.—This somnolent village on the eastern bank of the Hudson
River has long drawn tourists seeking a glimpse of upstate's display of autumn
foliage, but now residents say they're seeing signs of another tourism boom.
Close
Claudio Papapietro for The
Wall Street Journal
A tour group makes its way through Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., on Saturday.
"Sleepy Hollow," the Fox television drama based loosely on "The Legend of
Sleepy Hollow," the Washington Irving short story, has generated interest in the
village where the show takes place.
"Things are definitely heating up because of the show," said Anthony Giaccio,
the village administrator.
He said traffic to the village's website has doubled and is bombarded with
hits after each airing of the show, which had its premiere on Sept. 16 to strong
ratings. He said he and others have noticed more people than normal "meandering
around town during the day" and exploring the 164-year-old Sleepy Hollow
Cemetery, where Irving is buried along with other notable figures.
Sleepy Hollow is home to about 9,000 people, a modern New York City suburb
that bears little resemblance to the spooky countryside hamlet that Irving made
up for his short story. The village was originally known as North Tarrytown, but
in 1996 the town voted to change the name.
In Irving's story, a lanky schoolteacher named Ichabod Crane is terrorized by
a headless horseman, a Hessian soldier whose head had been removed by an errant
cannonball in the Revolutionary War. The TV show involves time travel and takes
place mostly in a contemporary setting but uses Ichabod Crane, the horseman and
other central characters.
Jeannie Galgano, who sells souvenirs outside the entrance to the cemetery,
including a $20 T-shirt that reads, "I Left My Head in Sleepy Hollow," said
three things have made the village a popular destination in recent years: the
village's name change; the 1999 Johnny Depp move "Sleepy Hollow"; and the Fox TV
show.
Enlarge Image
Close
Claudio Papapietro for The
Wall Street Journal
Washington Irving's grave site is one of Sleepy Hollow's
attractions.
"About 80% of the people coming to town this year are asking me about the TV
show," Ms. Galgano said.
The cemetery's superintendent, Jim Logan, estimates traffic is already up 30%
this season. Larger-than-average crowds have gathered around Irving's grave.
"Tours have been sold out for the past couple of weeks. That's not normal for
September," said Aaron Newcome, a cemetery tour guide.
Crowds have gathered, too, along the Headless Horseman Bridge, where many
folks tucked their heads into zipped-up jackets to imitate the fictional
murderer in Instagram photos.
The first weekend of October saw tables packed at town restaurants, the aptly
named Horseman and JP Doyle's Public House, where co-owner Brian Doyle has
increased his fall staff in anticipation of attention from the TV series.
"The phone is ringing a lot more for reservations this year," Mr. Doyle said.
"And we're seeing a lot more diverse area codes when they call."
One of the most popular items on the menu is the bacon- and cheddar-laden
Horseman Burger.
Fall has long been a busy tourism period in the Hudson Valley, but Mr.
Giaccio said he is hoping the show will do for Sleepy Hollow what "The Office"
did for Scranton, Pa., which that show's fans visit all year long and where its
actors make appearances from time to time
"We are capitalizing on the idea of the real Sleepy Hollow. Obviously, people
are going to want to explore this place they see on TV," Mr. Giaccio said.
Not everyone is confident the show will bring tourists from outside the
region.
"It is great that folks in, say, Arizona are getting exposed to the Sleepy
Hollow brand through the TV show, but I don't know if it translates into more
ticket sales," said Rob Schweitzer, a spokesman for Historic Hudson Valley, a
group that promotes the history and architecture of the area. "I hope I am wrong
about that."
Mr. Giaccio said he wanted the show's premiere to take place in the village,
but it didn't work out.
Kristen Osborne, the show's publicist, said getting the actors to Sleepy
Hollow in time was impossible—they began production in July, just two months
before the premiere. When things slow down, it might be possible for the actors
and the show's producers to trek to the Hollow, she said.
"It's a goal of ours to eventually do something with the town," Ms. Osborne
said.
TV Show Breathes New Life Into Upstate Village
Sleepy Hollow Sees Tourism Uptick Because of New Fox
Drama
JO PIAZZA
SLEEPY HOLLOW, N.Y.—This somnolent village on the eastern bank of the Hudson
River has long drawn tourists seeking a glimpse of upstate's display of autumn
foliage, but now residents say they're seeing signs of another tourism boom.
Close
Claudio Papapietro for The
Wall Street Journal
A tour group makes its way through Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., on Saturday.
"Sleepy Hollow," the Fox television drama based loosely on "The Legend of
Sleepy Hollow," the Washington Irving short story, has generated interest in the
village where the show takes place.
"Things are definitely heating up because of the show," said Anthony Giaccio,
the village administrator.
He said traffic to the village's website has doubled and is bombarded with
hits after each airing of the show, which had its premiere on Sept. 16 to strong
ratings. He said he and others have noticed more people than normal "meandering
around town during the day" and exploring the 164-year-old Sleepy Hollow
Cemetery, where Irving is buried along with other notable figures.
Sleepy Hollow is home to about 9,000 people, a modern New York City suburb
that bears little resemblance to the spooky countryside hamlet that Irving made
up for his short story. The village was originally known as North Tarrytown, but
in 1996 the town voted to change the name.
In Irving's story, a lanky schoolteacher named Ichabod Crane is terrorized by
a headless horseman, a Hessian soldier whose head had been removed by an errant
cannonball in the Revolutionary War. The TV show involves time travel and takes
place mostly in a contemporary setting but uses Ichabod Crane, the horseman and
other central characters.
Jeannie Galgano, who sells souvenirs outside the entrance to the cemetery,
including a $20 T-shirt that reads, "I Left My Head in Sleepy Hollow," said
three things have made the village a popular destination in recent years: the
village's name change; the 1999 Johnny Depp move "Sleepy Hollow"; and the Fox TV
show.
Enlarge Image
Close
Claudio Papapietro for The
Wall Street Journal
Washington Irving's grave site is one of Sleepy Hollow's
attractions.
"About 80% of the people coming to town this year are asking me about the TV
show," Ms. Galgano said.
The cemetery's superintendent, Jim Logan, estimates traffic is already up 30%
this season. Larger-than-average crowds have gathered around Irving's grave.
"Tours have been sold out for the past couple of weeks. That's not normal for
September," said Aaron Newcome, a cemetery tour guide.
Crowds have gathered, too, along the Headless Horseman Bridge, where many
folks tucked their heads into zipped-up jackets to imitate the fictional
murderer in Instagram photos.
The first weekend of October saw tables packed at town restaurants, the aptly
named Horseman and JP Doyle's Public House, where co-owner Brian Doyle has
increased his fall staff in anticipation of attention from the TV series.
"The phone is ringing a lot more for reservations this year," Mr. Doyle said.
"And we're seeing a lot more diverse area codes when they call."
One of the most popular items on the menu is the bacon- and cheddar-laden
Horseman Burger.
Fall has long been a busy tourism period in the Hudson Valley, but Mr.
Giaccio said he is hoping the show will do for Sleepy Hollow what "The Office"
did for Scranton, Pa., which that show's fans visit all year long and where its
actors make appearances from time to time
"We are capitalizing on the idea of the real Sleepy Hollow. Obviously, people
are going to want to explore this place they see on TV," Mr. Giaccio said.
Not everyone is confident the show will bring tourists from outside the
region.
"It is great that folks in, say, Arizona are getting exposed to the Sleepy
Hollow brand through the TV show, but I don't know if it translates into more
ticket sales," said Rob Schweitzer, a spokesman for Historic Hudson Valley, a
group that promotes the history and architecture of the area. "I hope I am wrong
about that."
Mr. Giaccio said he wanted the show's premiere to take place in the village,
but it didn't work out.
Kristen Osborne, the show's publicist, said getting the actors to Sleepy
Hollow in time was impossible—they began production in July, just two months
before the premiere. When things slow down, it might be possible for the actors
and the show's producers to trek to the Hollow, she said.
"It's a goal of ours to eventually do something with the town," Ms. Osborne
said.
GayleR
Senior Insider
Thanks for posting the article Grey. The press coverage has been massive. They cast, producers and Phillip just returned from NY ComiCon where 3,000 people attended their panel and the autograph lineups snaked through the convention centre. The show has already developed a cult following and FOX has picked it up for a second season. We are all breathing a big sigh of relief and are very happy for Phillip.
GayleR
Senior Insider
Well, let's just say it's not really targeted to the ahem, older set we're in, but it seems to have developed a multi-generational following. The ratings have been gigantic, the largest ever for any FOX scripted show. And thankfully DVR numbers are measured now too, which have also provided a big bump. Tom Mison, the fabulous actor who plays Ichabod is very dreamy and a fine actor.
